Jailed rapper Ja Rule was sentenced to 27 months in prison yesterday for dodging more than £623,000 in taxes.

The hip-hop star and actor, whose real name is Jeffrey Atkins, is already serving a two-year term after being caught with a handgun in New York in 2007.

Ja Rule, 35, previously pleaded guilty to three counts of failing to file tax returns. Passing sentence at a federal court in New Jersey yesterday, Judge Patty Schwartz said: “Taxpayers do not have the luxury of deciding whether or not to comply with laws.”

The US Attorney’s Office said the two prison terms would run concurrently

Ja Rule received a Grammy nomination in 2002 for the album Pain is Love. He is expected to release his new album Pain is Love 2 later this summer.